Brick-machine.



' W. B. FERRIS.

BRICK MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 31, 1909.

Patented Aug. 23, 1910.

Warren 6. Ferris.

THE NORRIS Pzrenspm. \vlsllmqrou. n. c.

WARREN B. FERRIS, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

BRICKMACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 23, 1910.

Application filed December 31, 1909. Serial No. 535,771.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, WARREN B. FERRIs, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at O0- lumbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio,have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Brick-Machines, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the improvement of brick machines and the objects of my invention are to provide in conjunction with the discharginghead of a brick machine, means for imparting to the surfaces of the bodyof clay discharged from the machine, an ornamental roughening eflect ofpeculiar pattern; to provide in conjunction with the machine head, meansfor adjustably supporting the roughening wires which I employ in themanner hereinafter described and to produce other improvements thedetails of which will be more fully pointed out hereinafter. Theseobjects I accomplish in the manner illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, in which Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the head of abrick machine, showing my improved roughening wires in connectiontherewith, Fig. 2 is a detail view of a portion of one of the wiremembers showing the same formed of two twisted strands, Fig. 3 is asimilar view, showing a modification in the construction of theroughening wire, and, Fig. 4 is a face view of a portion of a brickshowing the roughened ornamental surface which is attained by theemployment of my improved wire construction.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

1 represents the head or clay discharging end of an ordinary brickmachine and 2 the end or die plate thereof, this die plate beingformed-with a central forwardly projecting oblong nozzle 3 through whichthe body of clay which is afterward severed at intervals to form brick,passes from the machine. On opposite sides of the nozzle or outlet 3,the die plate is formed with opposing lateral extensions 4 in the outerface of each of which are formed upper and lower parallel guide ribs 5.Between each pair of guide ribs is slidably mounted one arm or member ofan angular bar or bracket 6, the remaining arm thereof extendingforwardly as shown at 6*. These bars are bolted in connection with thedie plate 2, the attaching bolt of one of the bars, however, passingloosely through a slotted opening 7 in said bar, on the outer side ofwhich the bolt, which is indicated at 7 receives a nut 8.

Above and below one end of theclay discharging nozzle 3, I provide theface of the die plate and extensions thereof, with parallel guide ribs 9and within each pair of these ribs is supported the vertical arm ormember of an angular bar 10, each of said bars being secured by a boltagainst the face of the die plate. One of these bolts which is indicatedat 11, passes through a slotted opening 10 in one of the bars 10,thereby permitting of a vertical adjustment of the bar between the ribs9. Extending loosely through an opening in each of the outturned endportions 6 of the bars 6, is a screw rod 12 upon the outer threaded endof which is provided a suitable form of nut 13. The inner ends of therods 12, have connected therewith the opposite ends of a horizontal wiremember 14. In a like manner I cause to pass through each of theoutturned arms of each of the bars 10 a wire holding rod 15, the outerend of which is engaged by a nut 16. These rods 15 are connected by avertical wire member 17, the latter extending, as shown, in front of theout let opening of the nozzle 3 adjacent to one of the outer sidesthereof, while the Wire member 14L extends in front of said openingadjacent to the upper side thereof. In forming each of the wire members14 and 17, I employ more than one wire strand, the said strands beingeither twisted together as indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawing or braidedor plaited into engagement with each other as indicated in Fig. 3.

In operation, the clay is forced out through the nozzle 3 in the usualmanner and owing to the presence of the wires 14 and 17 the upper faceof the clay body thus discharged from the machine head and one of theouter sides thereof, are engaged by said wire members, with the resultthat the surface clay of the sides with which said wire members contact,is cut or sliced 01f the body of the clay. Owing to the fact that thewires which produce this cutting or trimming operation, are composed ofa plurality of strands twisted or braided together, it is obvious thatthe outer surface of each of the wire members presents a succession ofrounded projections and resultant intervening depressions. As the bodyof the clay comes into shearing contact with the wire members thusformed, it will be understood that the projections and interveningdepressions which form the surfaces of the wire members, must produce onthe face of the clay body, a roughened or corrugated surface, and theselines or markings must of necessity be in the nature of comparativelyregular parallel grooves or corrugations in case the clay should be ofsuch uniform composition as to offer a uniform resistance to the cuttingaction of the wire, but owing to the fact that the mass of clay fromwhich brick are formed, combines both hard and soft particles orunyielding and yielding ingredients, it will be understood that the wiremembers will be moved outward and inward or vibrated to such an extentas to result in the production of comparatively irregular lines on theface of the clay body, thus imparting to the face of the clay body anornamental roughness, the general design of which is indicated in Fig. 4of the drawing.

I am aware that heretofore single wires have been arranged in front ofthe discharge opening of a brick machine, for the purpose of rougheningthe surfaces of the clay body and therefore do not claim broadly suchconstruction, my invention residing particularly in the provision ofwire members formed of a plurality of strands whereby a desirablepattern or design is imparted to the faces of the clay body, which bodyis afterward severed into brick lengths.

It will readily be understood that in order to draw the wire memberstighter or loosen the same, the operation consists in turning the nuts13 or 16,

From the foregoing description, it will be seen thatsimple and efficientmeans are herein provided for accomplishing the objects of theinvention, but while the elements shown and described are well adaptedto serve the purposes for which they are intended, it is to beunderstood that the invention is not limited to the precise constructionset forth, but includes within its purview such changes as may be madewithin the scope of the appended claim.

\Vhat I claim, is:

In a device of the character described, the combination with a brickmaking machine comprising a die through which clay is discharged, of awire member supported in front and adjacent to one side of the dischargeopening of said machine, said wire member comprising two or more wirestrands twisted or interwoven with each other.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

\VARREN B. FERRIS. lVitnesses A. L. PHELPS, E. V. GRIswoLD.

